The Talent Observatory
What motivates leaders to join one kind of organization, and avoid another? What are their deeper criteria for career decisions? What sources are they using to ‘audit’ potential employers, and what are their attitudes to the use of AI in the hiring process? What factors are fueling executive departures and how have recent global events affected their confidence in making a career move?
To find out, we personally approached senior executives from across the world who had recently been shortlisted for a senior position with a hiring organization. As such, they were in a reflective and ‘organization-assessing’ state of mind. The study followed a central hypothesis: that their needs are profoundly changing.
Our market interactions indicate that career aspirations are being re-shaped by two main factors:
1 – The desire to experience and practice wise leadership.
Wise leadership is ethical, responsible and sustainable, even if this may mean some loss of short-term gain. A shift is underway from smart and reasonable leadership, that purely focuses on immediate economics, to holistic leadership that emphasizes ESG criteria.
2 – The desire to have greater control over their own destiny.
They seek this ‘agency’ even if it means some loss of predictability and security. The emphasis is shifting from highly engineered organizational structures to more self-organizing, fluid ecosystems that are collaborative and trust-based.
We theorized that these factors are no longer ‘nice to have’s’ for senior executives; they are becoming fundamental selection criteria. Were we right? If anything, we under-estimated their importance. They are becoming non-negotiables to a degree that surprised us.
Measuring what really matters to senior executives now | 4 areas of investigation
1 – NEEDS: What do senior executives deeply want from organizations? What profile of organization are they actively seeking or avoiding?
2 - APPROACH TO THE HIRING PROCESS: How are senior interview candidates examining hiring organizations? What do they really think of AI hiring tools?
3 - DEPARTURE REASONS: What is causing senior executives to leave their organizations?
4 - CONFIDENCE IN CHANGING ORGANIZATIONS: How are global developments affecting senior executive confidence in making a move? A business barometer and diagnostic tool
Let's talk!
The report sends a number of clear signals to organizations seeking to attract (and retain) senior talent. The focus of top executives is shifting towards a professional life that gives them greater control over their destiny, working in organizations with a more holistic approach to doing business. We warmly invite you to a dialogue to discuss the learnings of our study and potential outcomes for your board and talent management strategy. To set up a call or request a proposal for executive search, leadership or board services, please contact us direct or go here to find a consultant close to you.
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